Things New IT Managers Need to Know
Posted December 19th, 2019
Reaching the leadership ranks is exciting, but it also means that your paradigm has changed. You are no longer an individual contributor. Instead, you are responsible for guiding a team, ensuring deadlines are met, and your section runs smoothly.
Transitioning into a management role can be challenging, particularly since many professionals have misconceptions about what it means, and they may have limited leadership experience. If you want to make sure you set off in the right direction, here are a few things new IT managers need to know.
Adjust Your Mindset
While you may have become a manager because you were an exceptional individual contributor, you can’t rely on how you worked in the past if you want to continue to impress. You aren’t just responsible for traditional workload; you are now leading a team, and that requires a different set of skills and capabilities.
Essentially, being a manager isn’t like being an individual contributor, so you need to adjust your mindset. Understand that the expertise that once served you well might not help you much here. Reframe how you view yourself and know that you are more-or-less a management amateur. By doing that now, you will be more willing to learn and grow in new ways, and that will increase the odds that you’ll adapt quickly.
Be Flexible
Not every employee needs the same things from their manager. Expecting your team to bend to your default management style could be disastrous, particularly if it doesn’t account for what they require if they are going to thrive.
Instead of adhering to your approach no matter what, embrace flexibility. Be agile when it comes to how you lead and don’t shy away from adjusting your methods according to what each employee needs to feel inspired and ultimately excel.
Combine Structure with Autonomy
When you give your team a degree of autonomy, you are empowering them to use approaches that work best for them as long as they are able to deliver the expected result. This can give them a sense of ownership and enhances engagement, typically leading to higher productivity.
However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t embrace some level of structure. Your team needs direction and guidance, such as clear expectations and a thorough understanding of what is delegated to them. While you shouldn’t micromanage, directly leading your employees is a necessity. Just give them a reasonable amount of breathing room when it comes to how tasks are completed, and you’ll be able to find a balance between structure and autonomy.
Provide Feedback Often
Many employees crave feedback. It lets them know whether they are on the right track, that their efforts are appreciated, and creates an avenue for natural guidance when needed. Make sure to recognize achievements quickly and showcase your gratitude often. Additionally, when an issue arises, address it as soon as possible, as early corrective actions are typically effective.
Just make sure that any negative feedback is delivered privately. Also, listen to their perspective on the problem before offering a solution. It is better to work together to find a better path, as getting the worker’s input increases their level of buy-in, making it more likely that they’ll succeed.
If you would like to learn more about how you can transition into a management role, the team at Bayside Solutions can provide you with meaningful insights that can help. Contact us today.
